797 FXUS65 KPIH 281956 AFDPIHArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 156 PM MDT Sun Sep 28 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Unsettled conditions already onset with showers and thunderstorms across the south and east of East Idaho.
- Increasing risk of showers and thunderstorms across the entire forecast area on Monday, peaking on Tuesday.
- Much cooler temperatures for Tuesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 156 PM MDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Satellite imagery shows upper low over the desert southwest opening up allowing moisture to shift north across East Idaho. A few light showers have been ongoing today and further development expected this afternoon and evening. Winds aloft fairly light so a few storms may be efficient and able to produce locally heavy downpours. Portions of the eastern highlands have been upgraded to a MARGINAL RISK for Excessive Rainfall for the remainder of today. A few showers may continue into the overnight hours, otherwise most of the region expected to be on a brief break with dry conditions. Further upstream, amplified Pacific trough off coast projected to spin next shortwave feature into Idaho early Monday. Showers and thunderstorms expected to redevelop across the western zones during the afternoon. Rainfall could become moderate to heavy at times associated with this feature, and MARGINAL RISK for Excessive Rainfall remains in place. Heaviest rainfall across the central mountains could be exacerbated by embedded thunderstorm activity, and recent burn scars remain a concern. NBM probability of reach 0.50" of QPF for the Monday evening hours ranges from 15-40% within the vicinity of the Wapiti scar. Those probabilities have trended slightly upward from previous runs. A Flood Watch may be necessary if projections continue current trend. Models shift the heaviest precipitation east across the remainder of the forecast area for during the day Tuesday, and the MARGINAL RISK for Excessive Rainfall shifts eastward accordingly. Temperatures likely to be coolest on Tuesday, with widespread daytime highs dropping into the 60s for most areas.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Issued at 156 PM MDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Southwest flow aloft continues with upper low churning off Seattle/Vancouver coast. Ensembles begin to shift the low inland Wednesday, opening it up and ejecting a weak shortwave across the region. Showers and a few thunderstorms remain possible Wednesday, but the main trough passage appears to be Thursday to Friday. There are significant differences in how the ensemble clusters portray passage of the trough. NBM blend brings the greatest precipitation chances Friday, but spread the chances out from Thursday night into Saturday. Breezy conditions accompany another cooldown, this time lasting into the weekend with deterministic NBM reaching only into the 50s for lower elevations both Saturday and Sunday. It is worth nothing that there is roughly a 15 degree spread between low-end and high-end temperatures, so not a lot of confidence yet. That said, the late week frontal system does look more robust and amplified than the previous features ejecting across the region.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 1116 AM MDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Main impact this afternoon will be some moisture pushing northward into southeast Idaho as southerly flow east of an upper low in southern Nevada. Have prob 30 thunderstorm groups in after 21Z at all the TAF sites outside of SUN which should stay north of the convective activity today. VFR conditions will continue through Monday. May see a return to shower and thunderstorm activity after 18Z on Monday.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 156 PM MDT Sun Sep 28 2025
Southern zones will have showers and thunderstorms this evening mainly isolated to scattered coverage. An upper level trof will move east Monday and expect more widespread showers and thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. Will have drier conditions Wednesday with a slight chance in 475, 476 and 422. Will see a more widespread chance Thursday and Friday with the next Pacific system. Temperatures will cool off significantly Friday through next weekend. Will see highs in the 40s mountains and 50s valleys possibly at the end of the weekend. So main impact is expected to be wetter conditions this week and a significant cool down late week through next weekend.
&&
.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
&&
$$
SHORT TERM...DMH LONG TERM...DMH AVIATION...GK FIRE WEATHER...GK
NWS PIH Office Area Forecast Discussion